A Deadly System
by TheGoodINTJ
Summary: The sins of our most beloved and hated AtLA characters. A Seven Deadly Sins prompt. Dark themes, not for the faint of heart. *incomplete* Warning, first chapter is lust. Rated T.
1. Lust: Ozai

**Lust - Ozai**

He could not describe the feeling anymore than he could quench it. It was insatiable. The more he offered more it required...the more it took from him.

He became something less than human.

He became a monster.

He became _her_ monster. It was not by choice that he demanded these things. He _needed_ these things. He needed _her._

The Fire Lord's bedchambers were designed give the illusion of a burning flame. The very shape and curve of the golden walls were cut to reflect the light of the sun onto the onyx bed in the center of the room.

In the black folds of his sheets laid his prize. Her skin was supple and soft to his touch. She quivered under the weight of his body. He could see admiration and desire in her eyes. He pressed his lips against hers. He felt her give into his will. She was his. He gripped her throat gently in his hands and felt her tense. He held the power, and the power made it euphoric.

Her throat was so fragile in his large palm. He could feel her lifeblood flowing under his fingertips. He continued to kiss her even as he threatened her life. She continued to kiss him as well knowing that stopping meant worse things to come.

Ozai heard the door to his bedchambers open. He looked over his shoulder to see who was interrupting him. He grinned then turned back to his amusements. "My dear wife, I was not expecting you to be back from your walk so soon."

Ursa looked away from her husband and his newest girl. She did not recognize this one. She must be a new servant brought in from the war. "I suppose I will take another," she whispered.

"I suppose you will."


	2. Envy: Azula

**Envy - Azula**

Azula hid in the shadows of the Royal Palace. She watched as her targets moved through the Royal gardens without a care. Every once in a while, one of them would say something and the other would laugh as if it were the funniest thing in the world.

Azula hated those people, those people who could find happiness without her.

Those people that would never let her into their world.

She lowered herself to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest. She fought back tears and screamed into her knees. How could they be happy?

How could they just _be_ happy?

That's all she wanted was to be happy with them, but she could never get the hang of it.

She always messed it up. _Always._

And Azula hated messing up. Mistakes were her enemy. Her father expected perfection, and it was perfection that she served him.

Yet it was now, when the day was late and the daily tasks taken care of, when her mother and brother would take their walks, that Azula felt the most imperfect.

She could never be the daughter her mother wanted. She could never make her mother happy the way Zuko could.

She would always be the monster, but, she decided as she stared at her own knees, she could be the perfect monster.

And so she was.


	3. Wrath: Katara

**Wrath - Katara**

It was not by design that she found herself here. She had simply told everyone she needed a few days to herself. After a year traveling and battling with the Avatar, they were more than happy to give her her space.

She knew what drew her here, however, and she hadn't fought it.

The war had changed the world, and it had changed her as well.

Katara walked the beaches of Whale Tale and waited. Her patience paid off. By the time the sun had set, she had found her target.

He was old, but no different than the last time she had seen him. He hunched over the groceries he brought to his mother. Katara guessed this was some pathetic ritual of his. She wondered, who would take care of his mother once he was gone, but she didn't wonder long.

She followed the man back to his hut. She did not make a sound.

Katara continued to wait until the full moon was high in the sky.

She entered his hut and disarmed him quickly. He hardly put up a fight. She was surprised at how easy it was to do what she couldn't do before.

His body slumped to the ground at her feet. In the next moment she was gone. In the morning, a mother would wail for the death of her child.

She wondered if he would receive a Fire Nation funeral. She wondered who would be there. Did this man have friends or other family?

Would anyone care that he was gone?

She didn't wonder long. Within a day she was back on the mainland of the Fire Nation.

"How was your vacation, sis?" Sokka asked her.

Katara smiled at him smoothly. "It was just what I needed."


	4. Sloth: Ursa

**Sloth - Ursa**

 **This one I think needs an explanation. I see sloth as inaction whether or not you care. To not do anything is equal to apathy.**

* * *

Ursa made it a point to only venture to the Royal Training Arena when absolutely necessary. Today, her two children would be presenting what forms they had learned over the last six months. Their progress would be analyzed by Fire Bending Masters and by their father. If they were deemed ready, they could move on to the next stage in their training. Ursa feared for her son, Zuko. He had already fallen behind his sister in forms, and she was afraid he would do so again.

The exercise was open to all nobility. The stands were half-full of noblemen and their wives. They were not here to see novice fire bending. Word of the child prodigy had spread, and they wanted to see it for themselves.

Ursa took her place next to her husband and watched.

Zuko was first. His forms were simple and even Ursa as a non-bender knew his movements were too jerky. _He's nervous_ , she thought.

He ended with a kick that Ursa thought was just the right touch to finish off a well-rounded performance.

Zuko found her face in the stands, and he smiled. She smiled back. Her son's face moved to his father and dropped to a grimace.

Next was Azula.

Ursa watched and knew instantly there was something different about her daughter's performance.

Five full grown men surrounded Azula in a large circle. Ursa narrowed her eyes, so Ozai was going to show off his prodigy this way, by having her battle soldiers. Ursa glanced at him and leaned forward in her seat. Surely Azula hadn't progressed that much...

Azula inhaled deeply. At eight years old she was only half the size of even the smallest of the men. She didn't mind. To her calculations, that would give her a distinct advantage. She was a smaller target than they were used to.

In an array of fire bending that blinded Ursa, Azula managed to hold off the five men for more than three minutes. She opened her eyes to see that Azula's flames were no longer red and yellow but blue. This was more than a display of forms, Ursa realized, this was the display of a weapon. Her heart ached for her child, put on display like a trophy, but Ursa watched her daughter's eyes as she bent her fire to her will.

Azula would have it no other way.

The display ended. The audience clapped and left amazed until only the royal family and the five fire benders were left.

"Ursa, take the boy back. Azula is staying for additional training." Ozai commanded.

Ursa bowed and took her son's hand. Zuko ripped his hand down. "I want to stay and train too!" He cried.

"Zuko, do not disobey your father," Ursa quickly placed herself between her son and husband. "Be a good boy and come with me."

Out of the corner of her eye, Ursa saw Azula smirk.

Ursa and Zuko left the Training Arena behind. When Azula started screaming, they were too far gone to hear.

The next morning Ursa went to Azula's bedroom. Her daughter had not yet risen and it was well passed breakfast.

"Azula, aren't feeling well?"

Her daughter was covered in her blanket so that Ursa could not see her. She smiled and snuck to her bedside. "I think maybe a visit from a tickle monster might - " she stopped. She had pulled the blanket off her daughter only to be frozen by the sight in front of her.

Azula's legs were wrapped in white bandages, but parts of the bandages were stained dark red. Azula's blood. Her daughter's blood.

"Go away!" The little girl screamed in anger and fear.

"Azula, baby, you're hurt - "

"Do as she says." Ursa turned around at the voice of her husband. She shielded her daughter with her own body.

"You're a monster. She's a child. How can you justify - "

"She's a prodigy. She must learn to act like one. I will not tolerate weakness where greatness is possible."

Azula whimpered behind her.

"She's not training like that any more." Ursa glared at him knowing she didn't stand a chance, knowing even as she stood there, there was nothing she could do to protect her daughter.

Ozai crossed the room in a quick bound. His hand hit her face and knocked her to the floor. She tried to stand but his foot connected with her ribs. Azula let out a small squeal. "Quiet, Azula! You will watch what happens when you disobey me." His foot connected again. This time Azula was silent.

Ursa couldn't breathe. She could only think of her daughter. "Ozai, please, not in front...not in front of her."

Ozai grabbed her shoulders and forced her to stand. Ursa gasped as white hot irons stabbed through her chest, but she did not scream. She would not give him the pleasure.

He forced her to look him in the eyes. "You may have Zuko," he glowered, "but Azula is mine. Say it."

Ursa glared back at him. She knew she was trapped. She had nothing to defend her daughter with. She closed her eyes then forced herself to look at the monster in front of her.

"Mother, it's okay. I want to be perfect." A small voice said behind her. "Father will make me perfect."

Ursa let a single tear drift down her cheek. "She is yours."


	5. Avarice: Zuko

**Avarice - Zuko**

Zuko bowed low to accept his crown. The throne was his. After seventeen years of struggle and turmoil it was his: forever.

* * *

Deep in the hours of the night, the new Fire Lord could not sleep. In his mind all he heard was her laughter.

 _Do you think you've won, Zu Zu? Do you think you have succeeded in taking what is rightfully mine? Do you think your prison will hold me forever?_

Azula's mocking tone echoed in his ears. He groaned trying to ignore the painful memories her voice brought back to life.

 _I will take it from you, Brother. The throne will be mine as it always was. Mother is not here to protect you this time..._

Zuko sat up in bed. Sweat covered his body. He looked around his room, the bedchambers of the Fire Lord, to make sure he was the only one there.

* * *

THREE MONTHS LATER

He could not sleep. He had not slept well since his coronation. It was her fault, he knew. She wanted his throne, and even now, while she was locked away getting 'treatment' she was plotting ways to take his throne from him.

He had to stop her. If he didn't stop her now, she might succeed.

The midnight moon was the only light in the Fire Nation sky. It was the only witness of the Fire Lord's journey from the Royal Palace that night.

"Fire Lord Zuko, it is an honor. We weren't expecting you this late," the attendant at the front desk stammered. "How can I - "

"Let me into her cell," Zuko spat.

The attendant hesitated. "Visiting hours are - "

"Let me in!" He shouted.

The attendant bowed and grabbed a ring of keys.

He took Zuko down a long metal hallway. At the end was a door. When they reached the door Zuko took the keys from the attendant. "Leave and tell no one I was here."

The attendant bowed again without a word and walked away.

Zuko unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Zu Zu," her voice grated on his ears, "come to see me so soon?"

"You are not taking this away from. I earned this!" He glared at her without really seeing her. He only heard her voice, only heard her mocking him.

Fire ignited in his fists. He would make sure she could never mock him again. He would end any chance of her taking _his_ throne.


End file.
